分类： sports

KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has officially announced the appointment of Gregory Daley as its new General Secretary, filling a crucial leadership vacancy that had persisted since May. The announcement came through an official statement released by the federation on Monday.

Mr. Daley, who previously served as a JFF Vice-President and Chairman of its Competitions Committee, assumes the role formerly held by Dennis Chung, who resigned from the position eight months ago. During the interim period following Chung’s departure, Roy Simpson, the General Manager of the senior men’s national team, had been performing the duties of the general secretary on an acting basis.

In a related organizational reshuffle, Omar McFarlane, who had been serving as the Acting General Manager for the latter part of 2025, has been formally appointed as the Federation’s Operations Manager. JFF President Michael Ricketts expressed strong confidence in both appointments, stating, ‘I would like to personally welcome Gregory into this capacity. He brings a wealth of knowledge and vast experience in football administration, and I’m very confident in his abilities.’ Regarding Mr. McFarlane, Ricketts added, ‘He has been a great addition to the federation, and we are looking forward to him continuing the great work he has been doing.’

Concurrently, the St James Football Association, which Mr. Daley previously presided over, has also undergone a leadership transition. A separate release confirmed that Gavin McNeil has been named the interim President of the St James FA. Furthermore, Marvin Peterkin has been appointed as the new Chairman of the competitions committee for the regional association, ensuring continuity in its administrative functions.

Sebastien Coe, the President of World Athletics and renowned British double Olympic champion, has commenced a significant diplomatic tour in Jamaica. His arrival at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston late Sunday night marked the beginning of several days of high-profile engagements with the nation’s sporting and governmental leadership. The track and field icon was formally received by Garth Gayle, President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA).

The agenda for Coe’s visit includes strategic meetings at the highest levels of Jamaican governance. Scheduled discussions with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Sports Minister Olivia Grange follow an initial working breakfast with JAAA leadership. This itinerary underscores the collaborative spirit between international athletic governance and Jamaican sporting authorities.

A particularly poignant segment of Coe’s itinerary involves an inspection visit to the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Tuesday. The facility’s track has remained non-operational for six years and sustained additional damage during Hurricane Melissa in October, highlighting infrastructure challenges facing Jamaican athletics.

This visit represents Coe’s second official trip to Jamaica in under four years, following his previous attendance at the 2022 Carifta Games hosted in Kingston. The current tour emphasizes World Athletics’ continued commitment to nurturing Jamaica’s track and field legacy while addressing critical infrastructure needs.

Jamaican international footballer Ravel Morrison has publicly criticized the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) for its technical staff selections during the critical final round of FIFA World Cup qualifying matches held between September and November last year. The Reggae Boyz midfielder contends that the inclusion of former national players in coaching roles would have significantly enhanced Jamaica’s chances of securing World Cup qualification.

Morrison specifically advocated for a technical team comprising Adrian Mariappa, Paul Hall, and Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore, citing their extensive experience and historical successes with the national team. Whitmore’s previous tenure as head coach was notably productive, encompassing a Caribbean Cup victory, consecutive Gold Cup final and semi-final appearances in 2017 and 2019 respectively, and successful promotion to League A in the CONCACAF Nations League.

The 32-year-old midfielder, who made his last international appearance among 21 caps in 2023, was notably excluded from selection during English manager Steve McClaren’s reign. McClaren resigned following Jamaica’s failure to secure automatic World Cup qualification, culminating in a disappointing scoreless draw against first-time qualifiers Curaçao in their final group match.

During a recent appearance on the Filthy Fellas podcast, Morrison attributed the qualification failure directly to McClaren’s management approach, stating the coach ‘changed the whole team’ and disrupted established on-field connections, particularly Morrison’s effective partnership with fellow midfielder Bobby Reid.

The technical leadership has since transitioned to Rudolph Speid, technical director of Jamaica Premier League champions Cavalier and former chairman of the JFF’s Technical Committee. Speid will serve as interim head coach for the upcoming FIFA Intercontinental Play-offs in March, where Jamaica will face New Caledonia for a chance to play the Democratic Republic of Congo for a World Cup slot.

While not dismissing a potential return to international football, Morrison emphasized that former players like Mariappa—now holding a coaching position at Watford FC and possessing a Global Football Sports Directorship Diploma—possess the ideal qualifications to guide the national team. The podcast discussion also highlighted former striker Ricardo Fuller, currently part of Stoke City FC’s technical setup, as another suitable candidate for the head coaching role.

Morrison, currently playing for UAE second-division side Arabian Falcons, acknowledged his continued capability to compete in English football, though he ruled out any potential return to the Premier League.

The English Premier League witnessed a dramatic Sunday of football as last-gasp goals altered the landscape of the top-four race. At Craven Cottage, Harrison Reed’s spectacular long-range strike in stoppage time secured Fulham a dramatic 2-2 draw against Liverpool, canceling out what had appeared to be a winning goal from Cody Gakpo just moments earlier.

The match had seen Fulham take a deserved first-half lead through Harry Wilson against his former club. Liverpool mounted a significant second-half comeback, with Florian Wirtz equalizing before Gakpo’s late effort seemed to have secured all three points. Reed’s thunderous equalizer, his first goal in three years, ensured the points were shared, maintaining Liverpool’s three-point advantage over fifth place.

Meanwhile, at Elland Road, the renewed rivalry between Manchester United and Leeds ended in a 1-1 stalemate. Brenden Aaronson’s second-half opener sent the home crowd into raptures, but Matheus Cunha’s quick response preserved United’s 16-year unbeaten record against Leeds. The result continues United’s pattern of missed opportunities to break into the Champions League places.

In other Sunday fixtures, Tottenham’s struggles continued with a 1-1 draw against Sunderland at home. Ben Davies’ opener was canceled by Brian Brobbey’s late equalizer, extending Spurs’ poor home record and leaving them in 13th position. Brentford climbed to seventh courtesy of Igor Thiago’s hat-trick in a 4-2 victory at Everton, with the Brazilian striker now second only to Erling Haaland in the scoring charts. Newcastle reignited their top-four hopes with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, moving within five points of Liverpool after second-half goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Malick Thiaw.

The day’s action set the stage for Manchester City’s late fixture against managerless Chelsea, with Pep Guardiola’s side having the opportunity to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal to four points.

In a spectacular La Liga showdown at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Real Madrid delivered a commanding 5-1 performance against Real Betis on Sunday, largely fueled by a remarkable hat-trick from young Spanish striker Gonzalo Garcia. The 21-year-old academy product, stepping into the void left by injured superstar Kylian Mbappé, demonstrated exceptional prowess with three clinically taken goals that dismantled the visiting side’s defense.

The match began with Madrid establishing early dominance, culminating in Garcia’s opening strike at the 20-minute mark. The young forward doubled his tally shortly after halftime with a spectacular volley that left Betis goalkeeper Claudio Bravo helpless. Teammate Raul Asencio further extended Madrid’s advantage before Cucho Hernandez managed a consolation goal for the visitors, who currently sit sixth in the league standings.

Garcia completed his historic hat-trick in the 82nd minute with an ingenious flicked finish, sending the Bernabéu crowd into raptures. Fran Garcia added a fifth goal in the dying moments to seal the comprehensive victory. The result carries significant implications for the title race, reducing Barcelona’s lead at the summit to just four points following the champions’ narrow 2-0 victory over Espanyol in Saturday’s Catalan derby.

The performance provided much-needed relief for manager Xabi Alonso, whose position had come under scrutiny following recent inconsistent results. Alonso’s decision to start Garcia proved inspired, with the young forward making the most of his limited opportunities this season. Despite competing for minutes with world-class attacking talents including Mbappé, Rodrygo Goes, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior, Garcia emphasized his commitment to contributing whenever called upon.

This victory not only strengthens Madrid’s title challenge but also highlights the club’s impressive depth and the effectiveness of their youth development system, capable of producing players ready to perform at the highest level when called upon.

Montego Bay United has surged back to the top of the Jamaica Premier League standings following a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Treasure Beach FC on Sunday. The crucial match, held at St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex in Santa Cruz, marked Montego Bay’s sixth consecutive triumph over the newly promoted side this season.

With this win, Montego Bay now sits at 29 points, narrowly edging past previous league leaders Racing United who stumbled with a scoreless draw against Waterhouse FC at a rain-affected Ferdie Neita Park. The championship race has intensified as teams navigate challenging field conditions and tight competition.

In other Sunday fixtures, Molynes United and Mount Pleasant FA played to a 0-0 stalemate—their second drawn encounter this season. Chapelton Maroons continued their impressive form with a 2-1 victory over Harbour View FC, securing consecutive wins and climbing to sixth position with 18 points. Meanwhile, the scheduled match between Dunbeholden FC and Spanish Town Police FC was postponed due to waterlogged pitch conditions at Dunbeholden Sports Complex.

Montego Bay’s offensive breakthrough came after two previous scoreless matches, ending a 195-minute goal drought dating back to December 15. Dwight Merrick opened the scoring in the seventh minute, capitalizing on a weak clearance from Treasure Beach goalkeeper Mowey Morgan by slotting home from six yards. Deonjay Brown extended the advantage in the 22nd minute with a close-range finish after defensive miscues from the hosts. Though Tommy Lawrence pulled one back for Treasure Beach in the 38th minute, the home side couldn’t convert several promising opportunities to equalize.

At Turner Field in Clarendon, Chapelton Maroons demonstrated resilience by overcoming a missed first-half penalty to defeat Harbour View for the second time this season. Zhaine Pinnock’s early third-minute strike was later canceled out by Rohan Brown’s 65th-minute equalizer, but Sean Leighton’s dramatic 85th-minute winner secured three valuable points for the ascending Chapelton side.